Primary finding
Probable cause
the failure of the pilot-in-command to follow the pre-landing checklist which resulted in his failure to extend the landing gear and an inadvertent wheels-up landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
Two witnesses reported observing the aircraft approach and land with the landing gear retracted. The pilot acknowledged that he forgot to extend the landing gear. He reported that the landing gear warning horn sounded when he retarded engine power in the landing flare but that there was insufficient time to increase power before the propellers contacted the runway.
Source record
Factual narrative
On November 17, 1995, at 1230 hours Pacific standard time, a Beech D-50, N100AV, landed gear up on runway 19 at Westover Field Amador County Airport, Jackson, California. The aircraft was destroyed by fire after coming to rest; however, the pilot and one passenger were uninjured. The flight originated at the pilot's private airstrip at Herald, California, at 1200 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. Inspectors from the FAA Sacramento Flight Standards District Office interviewed two witnesses who observed the aircraft approach and land with the landing gear retracted. Propeller strike marks were identified on the runway leading to scrape marks where the aircraft departed the runway. The aircraft came to rest approximately at midfield on the 3,400-foot-long runway, 80 feet left (east) of the runway and heading north. The pilot subsequently acknowledged to the FAA personnel that he failed to extend the landing gear for landing. He reported that he carried substantial engine power on the landing approach until on short final. When he retarded the throttles the landing gear warning horn sounded but there wasn't time to bring the power back up before the propellers contacted the runway. The pilot then retarded power again and completed the landing gear-up. -